New Beginning, Bound And Chained 2
By: V. L. Marquette
Lightly edited by: Ravyn
(Authors Note) This is a work of fiction, nothing more. Any resemblance
to anyone, alive or dead is purely coincidental. But, honestly folks, this
takes place on another planet. So this little warning is kind of silly don't ya
think?
*****WARNING***** (NO ONE, AND I DO MEAN NO ONE.) Under the age of 18,
or who lives in an area that this sort of material is illegal, should not read
any farther.
CHAPTER 13
Kaj looked at Caytin. "What's wrong, love? Not hungry?"
"Yes, close to starving actually. But I just can't eat, with what I am
getting from the little one you put in my care."
Kaj looked to where Lauren sat. Well it was more like huddled. "What
is wrong, I thought surely by now, she would be more at peace?"
"That is how I felt too. That was the only reason I brought her to
dinner. But I think I was wrong. I'm sorry Mistress. I think I will gather
her up and return her to her bed. Hopefully by the morning, she will be up to
inter-acting with others in her home."
"Don't worry about her Caytin." Trinna smiled at her father and her two
new little brothers. "I think my father and his Lover, will take care of her
soon enough."
"I don't know about that Healer. We know that it wasn't the Catimine
people that did what was done to her. But Lauren might not as of yet. And
Shern looks just exactly like her rapist did."
Trinna laughed at him. "You don't know my father as well as you think
you do. If you think he can't ease her through her ugly past."
Kaj just shook her head, chuckling. "Show my consort a little
compassion, sister. It isn't his fault that the closet thing to him is his
grandmother. Don't forget that it isn't his fault that your father happens to
be a little closer to the Healing line. He was your father whose mother was one
of the Temples strongest. And you are the closest thing to an equal to her
healing ability."
Trinna nodded. "I understand that Kaj. That is why I didn't argue with
my great aunt when she went to force my father into mating again. He is the
only one of my grandmothers son's that was fertile and capable of passing the
healing gift."
Kerfan half-listened to the conversation that was going on between Kaj
and Trinna. He was much more interested in how the young woman who Caytin had
left at the slave's table was doing. "Shern," he bent to whisper to his Lover.
"Take our boys and go back to the Men's Quarters. I will be with you soon
enough. Let me see if I can talk the girl into trusting me."
Shern nodded. Pulling both their sons' close. "Do you think you can,
Master? She looks like she is about to jump out of her skin."
Kerfan smiled at him, pulling him close to hug him tightly, kissing him.
"Yes love, I think I can. She doesn't look near as frightened as she did
earlier."
'She looks less frightened?' Shern was stunned. 'If that is so, she
must have looked like she had been scared out of her mind.' "Yes Master, come
on boys, you papa has a few things left to do before he makes it back to our
room's." The boys just nodded and followed Shern from the room. Each was
having his own thoughts, but with the wisdom that only a child has, kept their
own thoughts to him self.
"You do know that if the kitchen slaves see how little you have eaten,
they are going to be hurt." Kerfan sat down beside Lauren.
Lauren was startled, she had not thought this man would actually bother
with her so soon. "I'm sorry, Master. But I can't eat right now. I'm trying,
but I'm afraid that I will be sick if I do." She was trying not to cry, but it
wasn't easy. It was him. The one that they were hoping she would be willing to
belong to.
Kerfan nodded, smiling gently. "You're that upset? Well, I guess the
kitchen slaves will have to understand, won't they?" He patted her hand. "Will
you answer a question for me?"
She looked up at him. "Yes, Master."
He actually flinched. "Do me a favor Lauren. I know you are serving
this house for two cycles as a slave. But if it is all the same to you, my name
is Kerfan. Do you think you can call me by it? Two cycles really isn't that
much time at all. And soon enough you and I will stand as equals."
She nodded, still not comfortable enough to use his name. It was one
thing to call Caytin by his name. He might lead all the slaves here, but he was
still a slave. This man was free.
"Now can I ask the question?" She nodded again. "Have you taken any
time to think about what Caytin and my daughter suggested? True I might not be
as, young, as some of our fertile men. But I will never hurt you, or any of the
children you gift me with. I will stand beside you, no matter what, and I will
always love and protect you, as well as any child you give me."
"But what about the other one, the one that is just like those who raped
me, will I have to let him touch me too?"
Kerfan shook his head. "Shern is nothing like those that hurt you
Lauren. He was all of fourteen when he came to us, still a boy. He just
doesn't have it in him to hurt anyone. And I would know if he did or could. My
mother was one of the strongest healing priestesses that ever graced the Temple.
My daughter is fastly becoming her equal. So trust me Lauren. If the boy had
it in him, I would know. I might not be a Healer, but like all sons of one, I
am empathic, very empathic. Empathic enough to know if the boy had a mean bone
in his body, which he doesn't." His fingers brushed her cheek. "Don't worry
about him Lauren. He knows it is going to take you some time to overcome your
fear of him. And he understands." He stood, reaching for her hand. "There are
a few more questions for you, and you need to meet our son's, Shern and mine,
and perhaps one day yours. Will you let me lead you to your room?"
Lauren looked from him to where Caytin sat. His head was bent,
listening to what his mistress was saying. "You don't think he will be upset if
I left with you, without telling him, do you?" She knew that this man was free,
so he didn't need anyone's permission. But she was not, and did.
Kerfan looked up to where Caytin was sitting, in deep conversation with
Kaj. "Cay?"
Caytin held up a hand, smiling softly at Kaj, as he asked her pardon for
one moment. "Yes?"
"Just letting you know that Lauren is with me. She's a tad bit touchy
at the moment."
Caytin let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Bless you Kerfan. I am
starved, but I couldn't eat with as upset as she is, and didn't want to make her
feel any worse by having one of the bedwarmers escort her back to her room."
Kerfan chuckled softly. "Well I have her, and I do believe I can see to
her for the rest of the night. So, lay you burden at my feet for now, and enjoy
your dinner."
Trinna looked smugly at Caytin. "What did I tell you. My father might
not be a Healer, but he is as empathic as one who is blessed with the gift."
"Okay, you were right. But he didn't have to be 'that' empathic. It
would have taken a head-blind, and heartless fool not to pick up on her fear and
distress."
"I was never much one for fighting, but there for a moment, with the way
I was responding to her feelings," Rook muttered. "I was about to go for a
sword and hunt down that bastard of a husband she had and do my best to kill
him."
Kaj nodded. "And if you did, I would have not only pardoned you, but
lent you my sword to do it with."
"No, I think that pleasure is going to be master Kerfan's." Jerrick
growled. "Though if he would like to borrow a sword, I think I still have mine
somewhere from before the raid."
"Stop it, all of you." Trinna stood up. "We forgave all those who came
here to us, from any crimes they had done before hand. Punish him, yes, with
the way that girl is suffering, and has suffered because of him. But there will
be no killing. If I have to seek out a vowed Mother of the Temple to see that
it is inforced, I will."
"Calm down Healer, Good Goddess, don't you know what the feel of blowing
off steam is? Of course I am not going to let anyone kill this fool. But after
sitting here in the same room as she was in and feeling from her what she felt.
And yes love. It would have taken not only a head-blind, but also 'heartless'
fool not to respond to her. I might be head-blind, but I am far from
heartless."
* * *
Lauren tried not to attract any attention as Kerfan led her down the
hall. So far, everything had worked out so wonderfully. But she was so afraid
that the end could come at any moment. And with this man, she had been brave
enough to trust the first one, and it had been well worth it. But what would
happen if she dared to try to trust another?
"I take it from not only your silence but the strength from your fears,
that you are not quite comfortable with me as of yet?" Kerfan stopped just
outside of the Men's Quarters.
Lauren looked up at him, wonder mixed in with her fear. "No Master, I
mean Kerfan." She was trembling so badly that Kerfan had to steady her. "I
mean, I'm not uncomfortable with you, or at least not as much as I should be."
Kerfan smiled, brushing his fingers against her cheek again. "You have
no reason to feel uncomfortable with me Lauren. If it helps you, I used so be a
slave too. The only reason I am free now is my mistress died shortly after
childbirth. So I know all about what it mean to be in chains. I was born a
slave. Spent over nineteen full cycles as one. So you can believe me when I
assure you, that I won't ever hurt you. Not even in punishment. I have never
hurt Shern, and if I won't hurt my slave. Then common sense, should, tell you
that I won't hurt the woman who I am hoping will consent to wed me." It was not
the first time in his life that he wished he had more of a projective talent
than he did. Yes, he was very empathic, but only when it came to picking up
emotions and feelings. His projective abilities were not that great. "Now,
what say we go in and you can meet what, hopefully, one day soon will be your
son's as well." He opened the door and motioned for her to enter.
Shern watched in silence as his master led the woman into the room. "Go
on you two, I know you are about to burst." He whispered to the two boys that
he shared with Kerfan in the joys of fatherhood. He wasn't sure if he could
ever get this poor woman to trust him enough to actually join the ranks of
fathers in the quarters by blood, but he was happy enough to share the rank with
his master, even if it was only by adoption.
The two boys were so excited, but also a little unsure about how they
should handle this new one. "Papa?" Lane, ever the brave one of the two. "Is
this the lady you told us about earlier?"
Kerfan just laughed. "Out of the mouths of babes." He ruffled his
sons' hair. "Yes Lane, Trent, this is the lady I was talking about earlier."
Trent looked her over. "So, are you planning on being our mum?"
Kerfan bit the inside of his lip to keep from laughing again. "Well
Trent, I haven't quite got that far with her as of yet. Give the woman a break.
She has only just given birth. She hasn't even been here for a week yet. If
you start at her with demands like that, you might just scare her off."
Lauren shook her head. "No, that's okay." She closed her eyes and took
a deep breath. "Are you sure you want me to be your mum? I haven't had all
that much experience with it. Today was the first time I have ever given birth
to a baby."
Lane popped back up again, grinning from ear to ear. "Girl or boy?"
Lauren smiled the first real and not pressed smile she had had since she
couldn't remember when. "A girl, her name is Savell."
Both boys' looked ready to go into fits of excitement. "Really," Lane
was the first to calm down enough to get out the words. "Can we see her?"
Lauren looked at Kerfan. "I don't know, it's up to your, papa."
Kerfan and Shern stood there. Kerfan was almost too shocked to speak.
He had been sure that he would have to ease her into every step. He had not
counted on his boy's winning her over quite this quickly. Shern shook him
gently. Nodding at her. "I think she just asked you a question, Master."
"Well, if you aren't shy with feeding her around them, then yes. As
soon as one of the nursery slaves bring either her or Kaj's boy up here, yes."
He was not going to tamper with good fortune. If his son's could win her over,
he was not too proud to take any help he could get.
Trent looked at his father. "Why is the lady Kaj's baby coming here?"
"I am the only woman in the house who is in the process of breast
feeding a baby." Lauren spoke lightly. "She asked me if I would be willing to
help her with Averin. They are close enough to almost be twins. Both fathers
were those things that hurt us so much. But that's okay, I am beginning to
think that here, it doesn't matter what the past was. I really do have a
tomorrow. And if I have one, then the babies do too."
"I'll be blessed." Kerfan whispered softly to Shern. "I had thought
that it would take me at least three or four days if not a week for me to get
her to the point that she stopped jumping at shadows. But it would seem that
all it took was two children who needed a woman to be their mother, to love them
just as they are."
"I can only hope that she is as quick as our boy's were in accepting me.
Oh I know it is probably going to take some time, but I can hope all the same."
Shern was just as happy as his master was, even more in some ways. It had been
him that noticed how much their boys were looking at the other children who had
mothers with envy.
"Give her a little time baby. It might take her a bit, but she will
come to love you as surely as I and our boys' do." Kerfan pulled his young
Lover close squeezing him tightly. "So Lauren, is your smiles and behavior with
the boy's an indication that you have taken my request to heart, and will be
willing to wed me?"
She looked from the two boy's who were in front of her to Kerfan, and
then slowly, to the young Catimine beside him. "Do you mean it, when you said
he wouldn't force me?"
Kerfan didn't have to assure her, his son's were quick to stand in
defense of their other father. "You don't have to be afraid of him ma'am. He
ain't like those that did all the bad things to us." Trent's voice was soft.
He still felt bad for what he had almost done, back when he was first brought
here. And even though both his papa and his uncle had assured him, many times
that he couldn't have possibly known the truth. He still felt the guilt anytime
someone else made a judgement call without knowing the truth. "It was the other
ones, the ones that look like them, but ain't."
Lane nodded going to take Shern's hand. "It took me a day or so to
understand that he was really my papa just like my other one was. But he really
is, and he is nice, and kind, and don't yell at us."
Lauren looked at the boy's. She knew well enough how hard it was to
regain trust from any who have had it broken before. So if these two boys' who
came from the same hell she had just escaped from could trust this one. Then
with time she might come to trust him as well.
"If my master hasn't made it cleat to you that I would never hurt you,
then maybe you will listen to our boys'. I know because I have seen enough of
what those things have done to your people, that it might take you a while to
come to trust me. But that is okay, I'm young and I don't have anything but
time." Shern's soft voice filled the room.
Lauren felt like she was standing on a cliff. Her old life and fears
were behind her, but to step off the cliff? Would she fall, or fly? All her
life she had been taught that taking chances would lead to nothing but pain and
heartache, but here? She closed her eyes, and took that final step. "Does my
agreeing to be your wife, mean I only answer to you?"
Kerfan let out a long breath that he hadn't realized he had been
holding. "Yes, if you wed me, then no one, other that myself and Shern can ever
touch you again. With the exception of a Healer, when you need the Mother's
grace." He held out a hand to her. "Does this mean you consent?"
It all was like a tidal wave of past fears and hate and she nodded,
reaching to take his hand as the damn broke. She fell into his arms, sobbing.
Kerfan looked up at Shern as he held her. "I'm going to leave you with
our boy's for now. Let her know when one of the nursery slaves brings one of
the two. But for now, I think she and I need to be alone."
Shern nodded. Wrapping his arms around both their sons'. "Don't worry
about us, Master. Your consort needs you more than we do right now.
Kerfan didn't bother acknowledging Shern. He carefully gathered her up
in his arms and slowly left the main room, to take her to his bed. His Lover
was right, she was now his consort, and she did need him much more than they
did. He sat on the side of his bed, still holding her. "Ssshh, Lauren. It's
all right. It's over. I promise. The pain is over." He spoke softly, in
small sentences. He didn't think that in the shape she was in right now, she
would be able to understand anything more than just that. He didn't know for
sure what that thing that had been her husband had done to this poor
woman-child. But he swore as he held her stroking her hair as she sobbed. That
he was going to find out. And then see to it that he tracked down this fool and
see he learned what happened to any that hurt his consort. He happened to think
much like Kaj did when it came to paying old debts. And like she had done for
Fain and all those that came from her son's new people, and ground them into
dust. He could not, kill this fool. He knew that. But he would see to it that
he had a long talk with Caytin. Then buy this fool. For nothing more than to
let him see that the child he had abused so, lived and prospered.
Lauren began to calm down, her sobs subsiding to hiccups and sniffles.
But she still didn't pull away. It had been so long since she actually had a
man who claimed her that didn't hurt her.
Kerfan tilted her chin up. "All better now?"
She nodded, looking sheepish. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall apart
on you like that. It's just been so long since I could really feel like I
belonged."
He chuckled. "I think Cay and my daughter had that in mind to begin
with." He gently lifted her chin so he could meet her lips with his. "Well, we
don't actually have time, right now, to consummate this union. What with your
and Caytin's little girl, or Kaj's and his boy due here to be fed almost at any
time. But, later, maybe tomorrow or the next night, you can over look Shern,
when he beds with us, he isn't going to be touching you. But he is rather fond
of the thought of covering me for once. Actually, if you don't tell him I said
anything, with all probability it could been moons before he even notices that
you have not welcomed him into out union, if it isn't longer. He absolutely
loves making love to me. And I'll be honest with you. I kindly am fond of it
as well." He laughed softly at her blush. "Oh dear, are you in for a whole new
way of looking at life." He snatched another kiss.
A soft knock on the door, as Shern poked his head in. "Sorry Master,
but you told me to come and get her when one of the babies came, well, I don't
know what is going to happen now, both are here, and both are acting like they
haven't eaten in weeks." He smiled at Lauren.
"Well, why don't you run and tract down my daughter let her know that
Lauren is going to need a little help, what with both babies going at her at the
same time."
"Yes, Master." Shern turned and hurried from the room.
Kerfan almost fell over himself as the adorable sight of both their
boys' holding one each. The head nursery slave was fretting just a breath away.
"Thanks Ian. But you can take your fretting and I'll give you a call when we
need them picked up again."
Xavier and Toby stood at one side trying not to fall over themselves
laughing. They waited only long enough for Ian to shoo the rest of the nursery
slaves out. "I'll be blessed. I thought there for a minute, after your boys'
almost ripped the two babies from the two boys that had come with him to bring
them up. He looked like he was going to have a fit of apoplexy."
Lauren moved to Pane who stood there holding her daughter. "It's okay.
Mommy's here." For the first time in her life, she didn't pay attention to any
around her as she unbuttoned her blouse and offered a nipple to her crying
infant. "That's it, go on." She crooned holding her close as she fed her.
Trent looked up at his father. "Papa, I can't get him to stop crying.
What's wrong with him?"
Kerfan moved over to his boy, to carefully take the crying baby from
him. "Nothing, Trent. He's just hungry, and his lady in training got to go
before him." He offered the babe in his arms his little finger to suckle for
now. "It's going to be olay Averin. Just let you lady finish eating, and then
you will have your turn."
Trinna, Jerrick, closely followed by Steffon and Drav. Came into the
room. "Oh I see what that Lover of yours was taking about now Papa." She took
Averin from her father. "But really, I already seen to it that she would have
more than enough milk for both. Stars, she has more than enough milk for both
of them, and you and Shern, if you take to nursing from her as well."
This time Lauren did take notice of the world around her as she blushed.
Kerfan wrapped an arm around Lauren's shoulder. "If you see Kaj before
I do, assure her that Lauren is well on her way to finding her place in her new
home. She has consented to stand with me at the Temple to share vows. That's
right. After near nineteen cycles I will again take another woman as my
consort. Probably do my aunt and Cay a world of good." Then he looked at his
daughter with a bit of an evil glint in his eyes. "So now Trin, how does it
feel to have another mother, who is just barely older than you?"
Trinna brushed off the remark, as if it were nothing. "As long as she
gives you daughters, and son's near as pretty as the child she and Cay share, I
don't care. For that, I would be happy to welcome her if she was as young as
Shern."
"If she had been near Shern's age, I would end up earning a whipping.
She already looks no older than fifteen, sixteen at the most. If she had been
Shern's age, I would have tracked down that son of a whore that had done that to
her, and maybe not have killed him. But by the time I was done with him, he
would be begging me too." Jerrick growled. "I still can't understand why no
one brought this to anyone's attention. Okay, so we were losing the war. But
there was no excuse for any to start acting like our enemy."
"Jerrick, had you done that. The only censor you would have gotten is
from me, and that would have been along the lines of not inciting me. She is
now my consort. And I happen to agree with Kaj in some things. One of them is
in the paying of old debts."
"Thank you Kerfan. I am glad that I am not the only one that feels that
something's just can't be forgotten, or forgiven." Kaj stood in the doorway,
with her arms wrapped around Rook. Caytin and Fain right behind her, "I had
gone by the nursery to see have Averin was doing, to be told that he and Savell
had been taken to the Men's Quarter's to be fed."
"Well she has Savell at this moment, I'm trying to keep Averin calm.
You know how babies are. They don't understand place or power when they are as
young as he is. Only thing he can understand, is that he is hungry." Kerfan
handed the little boy over to his mother.
